1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electrical power distribution apparatus and more particularly to a novel overhead/underground combination service entrance device having a provision for a center-mounted conduit fitting that may be surface-mounted or semi-flush-mounted on a wall, installed on a center-pole, or installed for temporary distribution of power during construction and then converted for permanent use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Combination service entrance devices having a common enclosure for housing a utility meter socket, and a load center or panel board having a service disconnect and a plurality of branch circuit breakers have been gaining commercial use, particularly for use in residential dwellings. The term "combination" refers to the fact that the unit encloses both the mounting provisions for a utility-company watt-hour meter ("meter" ) and a load center or panel board containing circuit breakers for the distribution, control and protection of various circuits in a building.
The utility companies require that the utility meter section of any such combination service entrance device be separated and sealed from the "customer's" side, i.e., the circuit breakers. Therefore, the manufacturers of such devices place a solid barrier at or near the center of the common enclosure to provide two separate sections or compartments: one sealed compartment for housing the meter socket and the other unsealed compartment for housing the panel board. In order to provide access to the meter by the utility companies, the combination service entrance devices are usually installed on the outside.
In some applications, the combination service entrance devices are installed on a center-pole, such as a telephone pole, and the line cables (power lines) are fed from the top of the common enclosure. The center barrier in currently available combination service entrance devices prevents mounting of a top center-mounted fitting which can be connected straight to the conduit carrying line cables. Currently available combination service entrance devices require the installer to either form a conduit offset in the field or purchase a pre-made conduit offset, which is attached between an opening above the utility section and the line conduit carrying line cables. In other applications, especially where the power lines are underground, the line cables are brought into the utility section from the bottom of the utility section. Manufacturers of combination service entrance devices sell separate units for overhead and underground applications, which requires the manufacturers and retailers to stock each type of unit.
It is, thus, desirable to have an overhead/underground combination service entrance device which has provisions for a center-mounted conduit fitting so that the same unit may be mounted on a center-pole without the use of an external offset device or mounted for underground service.
The present invention addresses the above-noted deficiencies and provides an overhead/underground combination service entrance device having a center barrier with an offset that encroaches in the panel board section to provide mounting space for installing a center mounted conduct fitting, thereby eliminating the need for an external conduit offset.
In the majority of the applications, however, the combination service entrance devices are mounted on an outside wall of a dwelling. The devices are usually either surface-mounted or semi-flush-mounted on the wall. In a semi-flush-mounted device about one half (1/2) of the combination service entrance device is recessed into the wall and the remaining one-half (1/2) extends beyond the wall and, thus, remains exposed to the outside environment. The top cover portion of the enclosure that is placed within the wall contains all of the holes for running wires. However, the top panel of the common enclosure for a surface-mounted unit contains an opening for connecting line cables through a weather-tight conduit fitting while the remaining top cover is sealed.
Manufacturers of combination devices utilize distinct common enclosures for surface-mounted devices and semi-flush-mounted devices. This requires the manufacturers to produce two types of combination device enclosures and inventory two types of combination devices. Further, this requires retailers to stock separate combination devices for each such application. Accordingly, a need exists to provide a single combination device which may be surface-mounted or semi-flush-mounted.
Additionally, during construction of a building, contractors or builders typically install temporary electrical power service to operate various tools and machinery. The temporary power service typically includes a watt-hour meter to measure power consumption for billing by the utility company, a service disconnect, branch circuit protection and an outlet receptacle for attaching temporary power to one or more extension cords. All such equipment is usually mounted as special devices on poles which are erected at the construction site for temporary use. After the construction has progressed to a certain point, permanent service is connected to the building and the temporary devices are removed. This setting of temporary power service results in undesirable added expense to both the utility company and the builder.
The present invention addresses the above-noted problems with prior art units and provides a overhead/underground combination service entry device which may be semi-flush-mounted or surface-mounted on a wall, mounted on a center-pole without the use of an external conduit offset fitting or mounted for providing temporary service and then readily converted for providing permanent service.